Garment pocket



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Filed# Nov. 12, 193s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Fig. 2

Fig, 1

M/llam, E. Cunningiam INVENT OR.

I ATTORNEY.

April .14, 1942. w. E. CUNNINGHAM 2,279,972

GARMENT POCKET Filed Nov. l2, 1958 2 Sheets-Shet 2 William E. Cunningham INVENTOR.

\ ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 14, 1942 -UNITED STATES PATENT rOFFICE GARMENT rooKE'r i `William E. Cunningham, Norman, `Okla. Application November l2, 1938, Serial No. 240,125

` Claims.

This invention relates `to an improvement in pockets .for garments such as trousers, coats, etc., and more `particularly to the entrance or opening of a pocket of the safety or double type where a partition is provided dividing the main pocket into two compartments. Various at tempts have been made heretofore to provide safety pockets for garments, but due to their inaccessibility `and lbulkiness, they have not been altogether satisfactory in the trade and have not been successful commercially.

The' object of 'this invention is to improve the construction of a safety pocket by simplifyingit, by making the opening of the inner compartment easily accessible to the wearer of the garment and reducing the bulkiness thereof, so that the pocket is not unsightly.

This object is `accomplished preferably by the provision of bellows pleats at opposite edges of the pocket, particularly in the flap or mouth of the inner compartment so that it may be readily `opened to suflicient size for the insertion ofthe hand into the pocketwithout undue trouble and inconvenience in gaining access to the innerY or safety compartment. When the pocket `is `closed and the flap folded over the mouth thereof, the `bellows pleats collapses and` lie in a .flat position, thereby reducing the bulkiness and improving the appearance of the pocket having asafety compartment therein. i l

Another` objectof the invention is to reduce the depth of the inner or safety compartment of a double pocket, so that articles may be removed therefrom without interference by the articles in the outer compartment.

l have illustrated a preferred embodiment `of this invention, :together with modifications there of, in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of a trousers portion showing the improved safety l pocket therein with parts broken away to show the inner flap closed; v

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View of apocket blank;

Fig. 3 is an enlargedtransverse sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the flap for the inner compartment open;

` Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of` safety pocket, with a part broken away;

l Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view therethrough on the line 3--6 of Fig, 5;

Fig. 7 is a similar view with the inner flap open;

Fig. 8 IYis a horizontal sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a further modification of` the pocket with .a part broken away;

i Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view therethrough on the line llll0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a similar view with the inner flap open; and

Fig. l2 is a .horizontal line l2-I2 of Fig. 11.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in Figs. l to 4, as applied to a safety pocket in a `pair of trousers, a portion of which trousers is represented generally .by the numeral I. However, it will be evident that the invention may be applied to other forms of garments sectional view on the in which such pocketsare desired, such as overalls, one-piece suits, jumpers, jackets and coats,

shirts, etc. In fact, such pockets may be provided wherever it is desired to `protect articles against accidental loss or unauthorized access yet provide for ready accessibility to the wearer of the garment.

The trousers l are shown as provided with the usual side opening or slit 2` therein, through which access is gained to the pocket.

For the construction of this improved double compartment or safety pocket, I provide preferably a` strip `of material designated generally by the `numeral 3, which is cut to the proper shape, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 2, and which forms the main walls of the pocket. Inserted between the walls 3 is,` a `single ply of fabric 4, which is stiched thereto along its inner edge with a 4line 'of stitching 5 adjacent the fold line of the strip of material forming the side walls 3 of the pocket. The lower edge of the side walls 3 are stitched together at 6 through the lower edge of the partition Il when it extends throughout the height of the pocket, as shown in Fig. 2, but in order to limit the depth of the inside of the inner compartment, a `second row of stitching E extends through the partition 4 and one of the side walls 3, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the `.bottom lof the inner compartment is spaced above the lbottom of the outer compartment of the pocket. The `main compartment is designatposed in the main compartment, thereby reducing the bulkiness of the lower portion of the pocket.

The strip of fabric forming the side walls 3 is l folded upon itself at its medial line overlapping the partition 4, and with its edges secured together as described. The outer edges of the side walls 3 are secured to the adjacent portions of the trousers I on opposite sides of the pocket opening 2 by seams 9 and I0.

The outer edge portion of the partition 4 is folded back upon itself at II to form a lip eX- tending along the outer edge of the partition adjacent the opening I2 into the inner compartment 8, and the lip II is stitched down in place by stitching I3 extending therethrough and through the adjacent portion of the partition 4. At opposite ends of the opening I2, the rlip II is infolded back and forth upon itself to form an accordion pleat or bellows I4 at each end thereof, with the extreme ends of said lip stitched to the underside of a flap I5, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The flap I5 is attached to a facing strip I6 by a line of stitching I8 which also extends through the inner walls 3, while the facing strip I6 is secured in turn by the seam I0 to the adjacent portion of the trousers at one side of the opening 2. The flap I5 preferably is of a width substantially narrower than the regular pocket or the opening 2, so as to project inwardly over the mouth of the inner compartment a sufficient distance to be held in closed position by the outer wall of the outer compartment.

The bellows portions I4 expand upon raising or pulling outward on the flap I5 from the main compartment as shown in Fig. 4 which tends to spread open the entrance opening I2, so that the wearers hand may slide in over the flap I5 in position to be directed through the opening l2 and directly into the inner compartment 8, thus facilitating the gaining of access to the inner compartment. At the same time, the securing of the lip I I at I3 tends to draw inward on the ap I5 when released to return it to its infolded position, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the return of this flap to its inner position is facilitated. The accordion pleats Iforming the bellows I4 lie flat upon each other when the ap is infolded and reduce the width thereof to a minimum so as to prevent undue bulkiness of the pocket.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 8, this improved safety pocket is shown as applied to a shirt or coat or like garment having a "patch pocket. The numeral 2| represents a portion of the shirt or coat having the usual side pocket 22 thereon, being stitched around the edges thereof, as shown at 23 for securing the main pocket 22 to the garment. A partition 24 is interposed between the strip 22 and the garment 2|', which is fastened thereto along the sides by the stitching 23. The partition 24 has its lower edge terminating appreciably above the lower edge of the main compartment 22 and is secured to the garment 2| by a row of stitching 25. A row of stitching 26 closes the lower edge of the main pocket or main compartment 22. This relation will provide for the location of articles in theV inner compartment constituting the safety pocket, at a higher level than the articles in the bottom of the main pocket 22, and therefore more readily accessible. It avoids also undue bulkiness at the lower edge of the pocket.

The pocket is provided with a flap 21 overlying the upper edges thereof and attached to the partition 24 through bellows or accordion pleats 28 at opposite edges thereof which provide for opening the mouth of the inner compartment sufciently wide to admit the hand thereto, as shown in Fig. 7. When the flap 2'I is raised, the mouth of the inner compartment projects entirely above the opening or mouth 29 of the outer compartment or pocket 22, and when closed both the ap 2'I and the bellows portion 28 overlie the mouth 29, as shown in Fig. 6. The flap 21 may be secured in folded position by a button 30, if desired.

A further modification of this structure is shown in Figs. 9 to 12|, in which the main pocket is not provided with an overlying flap. In this form, a portion of a coat or shirt is designated generally by the numeral 3|, to which an outer pocket 32 is secured by stitching 33 along the edges thereof, while an inner partition 34 is secured along its edges by the stitching 33 and by stitching 35 along its lower edge. In this Aform of the invention, a flap 3'I is secured to the fabric 3| in position below the upper edge of the pocket 32, so as to lie normally within the confines of the pocket 32, as shown in Fig. 10, and also being provided with bellows 38 at the open mouth of the inner compartment. The free edge of the pocket 32 is secured by a button 40, if desired.

In these modifications, the bellows portions of the inner compartment have the same functions and advantages pointed out above, namely, facilitating the gaining of access to the inner compartment, and in each instance the lower edge of the inner compartment is spaced appreciably above the lower edge of the outer compartment to aid in the removal of the articles therfrom and to prevent bulkiness at said lower edges.

I claim:

1. In a garment, a pocket structure comprising sides secured directly together edge-to-edge throughout the major portion of the pocket and having a pocket opening therebetween, and means connecting the sides together at the pocket opening forming accordion pleats only at opposite edges of said pocket opening to facilitate spreading of the pocket opening only for gaining access to the pocket.

2. In a garment, a pocket structure comprising side walls joined directly together edge to edge and having a pocket opening therebetween, a flap attached to one of the side walls and adapted to extend outward of the pocket opening, and a bellows extending between said flap and the other wall and attached thereto to facilitate spreading of the walls to gain access to the pocket.

3. A pocket comprising side walls secured together and having an entrance mouth therebetween, a flap attached to one side wall at the entrance mouth, the other side wall having a lip turned back upon itself and secured directly thereto at said mouth with accordion pleats at opposite edges of said mouth connected between the back-turned lip and the flap.

4. In a garment, a pocket structure comprising side walls secured together with a partition arranged therebetween and dividing the side walls into inner and outer compartments, said garment structure having a pocket opening between the side walls, a flap attached to one of the side walls, the partition having a back-turned lip thereon secured directly to the adjacent portion of the partition and having accordion pleated portions at opposite edges of the pocket opening secured directly to the inner side of the ap.

5. In a garment, `a vpocket comprising side Walls secured directly together edge to edge substantially throughout the major portion of the edges thereof with a pocket opening therebetween, means connecting the edges of the side 

